Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

by Barbara Demick

Instead of running away, Hyuck told the man he was a North Korean defector, and the man invited Hyuck to study at the school for free. He had arrived.

Guilt and shame are the common denominators among North Korean defectors; many hate themselves for what they had to do in order to survive.

Liberty and love These two I must have. For my love I’ll sacrifice My life. For liberty I’ll sacrifice My love.

While the persistence of North Korea is a curiosity for the rest of the world, it is a tragedy for North Koreans, even those who have managed to escape.

I can only excuse myself for leaving the story incomplete because the people in it, like Korea itself, remain works in progress.